The vast majority of poaching incidents at Singita Grumeti involves commercial bush-meat poaching, however, elephant poaching for ivory is a constant and increasing concern. The Grumeti Fund combines cutting-edge technology with boots on the ground to combat this dual-poaching threat. We have established 12 permanent scout patrol camps and a network of high-lying observation posts which are manned 24/7. Furthermore, a state-of-the-art digital radio network and accompanying law enforcement database ensure Grumeti’s limited resources are deployed efficiently and effectively.

Game Scouts

The Grumeti Fund employs a team of 100 game scouts. These men all come from the local communities bordering the concessions, and the vast majority have a history of poaching involvement. The scouts undergo an intensive selection process for nine days and thereafter the successful candidates are enrolled on a month-long basic field-ranger course that teaches them all the basic skills they will require, from the handling of weapons to the use of GPS units and first aid.

Intelligence & Informers

Within the law enforcement department, is a dedicated intelligence unit. This small, clandestine unit relies on a network of informers from the surrounding villages and communities to provide invaluable intelligence on poacher movements. Such information is of critical importance to ensure that our anti-poaching work is proactive rather than reactive. We strive to apprehend poachers entering the concessions rather than engaging or arresting them after wildlife has already been killed.

Special Ops Team

Within the game scout force is an elite Special Operations Group comprising 18 high-performing scouts that have proven themselves to be the best of the best: game scouts with unquestionable integrity and the highest work ethic. These men receive ongoing advanced training and they are entrusted with high-tech equipment, as they are tasked with confronting the most serious security threats to the Singita Grumeti concessions. They safeguard our critically-endangered black rhino and are deployed as rapid reaction units to engage active poaching threats.

Key Successes:

5,000+

5,000+ poachers arrested since the fund was established

4-fold

Fourfold increase in mammalian biomass

K9 UnitThe development of a dedicated detection dog unit is essential in our ongoing quest to stay one step ahead of poachers. The permanent presence of highly skilled sniffer dogs will also help shift our focus from reactive to proactive law enforcement, catching poachers before they have succeeded in killing wildlife. Furthermore, detection dogs will sniff out weapons and other poaching tools, thereby reducing future poaching incidents.
The Singita Grumeti Fund has partnered with Montana-based Working Dogs for Conservation to select, train and deploy the canine unit.

Drone ProgramThe reconnaissance drone is fitted with live video capabilities that enable imagery to be transmitted back to the operations room in real-time. The drone is launched and used for surveying a specific area of interest or suspected poaching hot spot. Whenever the drone detects an object of interest (such as elephants, cattle, humans or dogs) specialised artificial intelligence software will flag sections of footage for review by the drone operator. The operator carefully reviews the footage to ascertain whether there is a genuine threat, and can control the drone to orbit over a suspected threat. This enables scout teams to move in and confront the poachers, whilst keeping an ‘eye in the sky’ to guide them and increase their safety.